This demographic shift creates major public health considerations; that with increasing age there is an increased risk of development of a number of age-related pathologies.
With ageing, there is loss of strength and dexterity, decline in cognitive function, impaired immune function, increased susceptibility to infection and increased risk of heart disease and cancer.
However, there is now increasing evidence that many of the biological changes and risk of chronic disease which have been attributed to ageing are in fact due to poor diets.
The significance of these observations becomes clear with the recognition that nutritional status influences the age-related rate of functional decline in many organ systems.
There is undisputed evidence that diet and nutrition are directly linked to many of the chronic diseases afflicting older adults